Nail polish compositions traditionally contain a large amount of nitrocellulose, primarily because nitrocellulose provides good adhesion of the compositions to nails upon application. That is, nitrocellulose is the preferred adhesive agent for use in nail polish compositions, and constitutes the “gold standard” of adhesive agents in nail polish compositions. However, nitrocellulose has drawbacks, particularly with respect to consumer safety. Also, nail polish compositions containing nitrocellulose can have poor long wear characteristics. Further, nitrocellulose does not impart high gloss. As a result, alternatives to nitrocellulose-based nail polish compositions have been sought. Unfortunately, to date, such alternatives have been elusive, and commercial nail polish compositions typically contain large amounts of nitrocellulose.
There remains a need for nail polish compositions which are safe, glossy, and adhere well to nails and, ideally, contain minimal, if any, amounts of nitrocellulose.